Greenacres Resident Celebrates 102nd Birthday

On Friday 26th May 2017, Violet Wallace was joined by her family and friends at Greenacres care home in Hatfield to celebrate her 102nd birthday. Born in Ottawa, Canada on 27th May 1915, the past century has been an interesting one for Violet who has travelled many miles in her lifetime until fairly recently she settled in Hatfield. Violet’s Father was deployed to France during the First World War just 6 weeks after she was born in Ottawa in 1915. Having only recently moved to Canada herself, her Mother brought Violet back to north east England to be closer to family and friends. It was here that she met her first husband and had her eldest son and daughter. Sadly, after 6 years of marriage, her husband was tragically lost in the Second World War. In 1956 Violet moved to Oxbridge with her children where she met her second husband and had another son and daughter. Her family has now grown to include 10 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren, spread across England, Australia and America. Violet frequently visited her far-flung family and was always happy travelling to other countries to see them. During one trip to America, Violet and her husband appeared on TV riding an aquatic car onto the Mississippi River with Rule Britannia playing after attending the launch event and asking for a turn. Violet and her second husband were married for over 50 years and throughout that time she used her gift with numbers to manage their household. She also kept up with her love of ballroom dancing and has never been known to pass up the chance for a dance. Later in life, Violet went to live at a care home in Cheshunt and became the envy of her friends in the home when for her 100th birthday she received not just a card from the Queen but another from the Governor General of Canada. It was with great sadness that Violet left the home earlier in the year due to a tragic fire. Attending the birthday party was three of her children, one grandchild and one great-grandchild and their respective partners. Violet was set to have a second party at her granddaughter’s home in Hatfield with more relatives the following day. A member of staff Greenacres spoke of Violet fondly; “Fortunately, Violet has been very quick to settle in, establishing herself as one of the home’s characters with her unmissable sense of humour, she is an active lady and loves to listen to music whilst never missing the opportunity to have a dance. We love having Violet living here with us at Greenacres.”